Programs + Education

Featured Programs + Events

Registration open now! This year’s EMP Pop Conference, "Get Ur Freak On: Music, Weirdness, and Transgression" offers more than 125 presentations ranging from panels on heavy metal and underground rock legend Lou Reed to a roundtable on hip-hop and R&B pioneer Missy Elliott. Special events include an evening of subversive Seattle music from TacocaT, Chastity Belt, S, and Childbirth, and an afternoon performance from Damon & Naomi (Galaxie 500), presenting a live soundtrack to Naomi Yang's silent film Fortune. more

This new feature documentary, GameLoading: Rise of the Indies, reveals the world of indie game developers—their craft, their games, their dreams. Join the filmmakers Lester Francois, Anna Brady, and Jess O'Farrell along with indie game developers including Rami Ismail (Vlambeer), Zack Aikman (Galak-Z The Dimensional, 17-Bit Lead Engineer), and others for a special Q&A and discussion after the film. Guests are invited to visit Indie Game Revolution, sponsored by Nintendo, before and after the screening.. more

EMP’s Community Access program enables individuals experiencing financial, physical, or social barriers to visit the museum. The museum serves regional residents by opening its doors to all who might benefit from EMP’s rich educational and cultural resources. more

The Northwest’s premier 21 and under battle of the bands supports the all-ages scenes by giving artists an opportunity to showcase original music, launch their music careers, and connect with the larger artistic community. 2015 winner: One Above Below None. more

Online or on-site, EMP provides teachers with the resources they need. EMP offers a variety of resources for educators including lesson plans, gallery guides, workshops at the museum and in schools, and Professional Development Day. more

Youth Advisory Board members actively contribute to EMP events and exhibit openings, and influence teen programming at EMP by collaborating with local musicians, artists, and community groups and promoting teen programs such as Sound Off!more

Calendar

Check out the EMP calendar for lectures, music performances, opening exhibit events and more!

JULY EVENTS

29
WEDNESDAY

We aim to reach a wider body of students who may feel intimidated by the way STEM disciplines have traditionally been taught by providing inspiring tools to engage your imagination as a teacher and spark connection with your students.…

JUNE EVENTS

29
MONDAY

We aim to reach a wider body of students who may feel intimidated by the way STEM disciplines have traditionally been taught by providing inspiring tools to engage your imagination as a teacher and spark connection with your students.…

7
TUESDAY

GameLoading: Rise of the Indies (2015) is a new feature documentary exploring the world of indie game developers—their craft, their games, their dreams, and how they have forever changed the landscape of games culture.…

13
MONDAY

Get pixelated as you dive into the groundbreaking world of contemporary video games. EMP Museum is inviting families and aficionados of all kinds to explore this rapidly-growing industry in all of its imaginative iterations.…

14
TUESDAY

Hear from university educators about the colleges and courses that can help get you there. Not ready for college yet? Don’t worry. Developers will also talk about programs and tools you can use to start making games as soon as you get home.

Panelists include:

16
THURSDAY

Held yearly since 2002, the Pop Conference provides a rare opportunity for music fans and scholars to join in a collective discussion on an array of issues in pop music through panels, presentations, and roundtable discussions.…

22
WEDNESDAY

City of Music Career Day is a one-day educational program that provides high school juniors, seniors, and college students direct access to music industry professionals through networking, experiential learning, engaging workshops, and performances.…

Visit

The museum is easily accessible by car, numerous bus routes, and the historic Seattle Center Monorail, built in 1962 for the Seattle World's Fair. The Monorail departs every 10 minutes from the station at Seattle Center, and from Westlake Center Mall, at 5th and Pine Street.

Become a member

EMP members enjoy free year-round admission to the museum, in addition to access to exhibition previews and events, special offers and discounts, and lectures and oral histories with luminaries from the world of pop culture. Celebrate cinema, make your own music, discover science fiction, and take pleasure in knowing that your membership bolsters EMP's efforts to educate, inspire, and spark creativity and imagination in young and old alike.

About EMP

EMP celebrates the creative process, engages the imagination, and inspires personal expression in current and future generations.

Statement of Mission

EMP is a leading-edge, nonprofit museum, dedicated to the ideas and risk-taking that fuel contemporary popular culture. With its roots in rock 'n' roll, EMP serves as a gateway museum, reaching multigenerational audiences through our collections, exhibitions, and educational programs, using interactive technologies to engage and empower our visitors. At EMP, artists, audiences and ideas converge, bringing understanding, interpretation, and scholarship to the popular culture of our time.

The EMP Building

Frank O. Gehry looked to music for his inspiration when designing EMP.

A classical music fan, Gehry wanted to understand rock 'n' roll, so he traded in his Bach for Hendrix and took a trip to the neighborhood guitar store. He bought several electric guitars, took them back to his office, and cut them into pieces. The guitar pieces were the building blocks for an early model design. Influenced by the colors in the early model, Gehry's final design brightly displays the red and blue hues of electric guitars.

Private Events

The museum's one-of-a-kind architecture offers numerous unique sites, from lofty and spacious to cozy and secluded.

Whether your event is a corporate meeting, a concert, an intimate gathering, a film premiere, a seated dinner or an elaborate reception, EMP offers an awe-inspiring setting for your next special occasion.